Portable golf tee support



H. D. HENDRICKS PORTABLE GOLF TEE SUPPORT Feb. 15, 1949.

Filed May 2, 1947 Patented Feb. 15, `1949 UNITED STATES i PATENT vo1=1=1c13 7, Y 'I '2,461,6111-1 f I' i" PORTABLE GQoLF 'rEEsnPPoR'r rHomer D. Hendricks, Seattle, Wash. 'Applniaticn Maz, 1947,*seria1 Np. 745.6071

This invention relates to'improvement in por-- table golf tee supports and more particularly to a device for resiliently supporting `a golf tee and providing directional indicating means to assist a golfer in aligning the swing of his club with the proper direction of the drive and in properly aligning the club face with a tee-supported ball.

'It 'is among the objects of the present invention to provide an improved golf-tee supportwhich will resiliently support a golf tee at any desired height so that a ball may rest on the tee in proper posi-tion to be driven, which provides di rectional indicating means for aligning the direction of the swing of the `golf club and for properly aligning the face of the club with :the ball, which will protect the head of the club against contact with the ground inthe event the swing of the club is not properly made, which is of sufficient area to underlie the club head as it approaches the ball during a `driving swing, is of sufficient weight to resist displacement even if contacted by the head of the club, is light in weight and can be easily carried, is neat and attractive in appearance, and is economical to manufacture. 1 Y,

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the followingdescription in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is atop plan view 'of an improvedV golf driving aid and tee support illustrative of the invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 3 3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of a fragmentary portion of the device.

With continued reference to the drawings the improved driving aid and tee support comprises a flat, elongated, substantially rectangular pad or mat preferably formed of flexible or resilient material such as rubber or synthetic rubber having a smooth upper surface provided with a 1inish adapted to offer minimum frictlonal resistance to a club head coming in contact therewith. This pad has a V-shaped notch II in one end portion thereof preferably so disposed that the longitudinal center-line of the pad passes through the apex of the notch. A bore I2 extends from the apex of notch II through the pad to an elongated aperture or recess I3 which is disposed intermediate the length of the pad and opens to the bottom surface thereof. A second bore I4 opens to the end of the pad opposite to the end in which the notch 11 1s provided and is so disposed that its center-line is substar'xtialljr coincident `to the longitudinal center-line of the pad. The inner-end `of this bore is spaced from the inner-end of the bore I2, as is clearly shown in Figure 2. A twisted strand I5 extends through the bore I4 and uis provided at one end-withv a loop through which passes a rivet I6 securing the strand in the bore and at its lopposite end with'a loop through which passes a carrying ring I1 by means of which the pad may be carried by hand or may be attached to a suitable clip worn on thel person of the user.l

A flexible strand I8 made of rubber or Vsome resilient material, extends through the bore "I2 and' has one end provided Iwith a loop in which is receiveda portion of a ilattened ring I9 receiv'- able in the elongated aperture I3. A loop at the opposite end of strand I8 receives a ring 20 which surrounds the reduced intermediate portionof a tubular golf tee support Y2| dimensioned to .receive the shank portion of a golf tee 22.1Th'e holder 2I receives the shank of the tee with suflicient friction Vso'that the tee can be supported at any 'desired Yheight in the holder.

A'golf ball 23 is supported on the tee 22 in posi# tion to be driven' from 4the 'tee by' a golf club andthe exible strand I8 permits the tee holder 2i to move so that the tee and the holder may move with the ball away vfrom the pad at the time the ball is struck. The ilexible strand will automatically return the tee and holder to the normal operative position at the apex of the V- shaped notch II.

In case the strand I8 should be broken and it should become necessary to replace the tee holder, the end of the strand at the tee holder may be released and the strand withdrawn through the bore by pulling the flat ring I9 out of the aperture I3. A new strand may then be reinserted in the bore and when the ring I9 is seated in the aperture I3 it will hold the inner-end of the strand in proper position.

The face of the pad is provided with a directional indicator marking generally indicated at 24. This marking may conveniently comprise an elongated rectangle 25 extending from the ring-attached end of the pad, which is the lefthand end as viewed in Figure 1, to the base of an isosceles triangle 26 the apex of which is located adjacent to the apex of the notch II. The rectangle 25- and triangle 26 together constitute an arrow-shaped marking the center-line of which lies along the center-line of the pad and the point of which is adjacent to the apex of thek notch and points directly at the tee 22 held at the apex of the notch. A directional line 21 is provided along the center of the rectangle 25 and terminates near the apex of the triangle 26 to provide an accurate directional indicator for aligning the swing of a golf club in the proper direction for the drive, the arrow itself, indicating the general direction of the swing and also assisting thelgolfer in lining up the swing of his club with the direction between the golf Vtee and the hole constituting the target of the drive. A plurality of spaced parallel lines 28 extend across the triangular portion 2liy of the arrow, andthe adjacent portion of the rectangular portion '25 to aid in properly aligning the face ofa golfclub with a ball carried on the tee 22.

The directional-indicator marking maybe provided by applying pigment to the surface ofthe pad or mat or by usinginlays of differently coloredmaterials or in any otherconvenient or desiredmanner. Y :In using the device the pad or mat isplaced upon V the driving tee and arranged'so .that :the arrow points directly in the `direction in which it is intended .to drive the ball. The Agolfer may then take .a stance .beside the mat :and .adjust his swing .until .it follows the line of the -direc tional arrow and adjust his grip until l the club .face isperpendicular to the ball atthefpoint -o contact of .the club head with the ball. This l.will

vgreatlyassist the average driver in obtaining a drive of accurate direction .and satisfactory distance. .The pad also .protects the .club head-from pad provided at one end with an open notch, said pad hawng an elongated bore extending to the closed end of the notch, a longitudinally elastic element mountedwithin the bore, a ring secured to the free end of the elastic element, a tubular holder provided between its ends with a reduced portion for receiving the ring thereon, the tubular holder being substantially vertically arranged within the motohandiengaging .the pad above and below the'borajad a tee having a shank inserted within the tubular holder.

i l2. A golf tee support, comprising a exible pad .providedat one endwith an open notch, said coming into contact with .the surface of the tee 1 where .it may be damaged by small'stones and other hard material and prevents loss or breakage of thegoli`ball supportingtee, -The .invention .may be embodied inotherspec'iiic forms vwithoutdepart-ing from the spirit or essential lcharacteristics thereof. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all .respects as illustrative andnot restrictive, the scope of the invention'being .indicated by Ytheapp'en'ded claims rather. .than by the .foregoingrdescription, and allchan'ges which come .within the meaning and range of equivalency of theclaims are, therefore, intended to beembraced therein.

What is claimed is:

l. A golf tee support, comprising .a flexible pad having an elongated bore extending at one end. to .the open notch and having an opening leading into the opposite end of the bore and passing through one face of the pad, the opening extending laterally beyond the bore, a longitudinally elastic element mounted within the borel a tubular holderfor arrangement within the notch .and .connected with the elastic element, a retaining element arrangedwithin the opening and .secured to the Velastic element and projectingilater- .ally beyond the bore, vthe retaining element being ment within the 'tubular holder so that `the tee may .beadjusted to different elevations and held in the selected adjusted position.

Vnonna p. HnNDRrcKs. REFERENCES errno The vfollowing .references vare of record inthe file voizthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,746,600 .Merio- Feb. ..11, .1930 "2,061,308 Horvath Nov. 1'7, .1936 A2,202,556 

